In the years 1575-77, Venice was struck by a plague of unusual violence, killing a third of the population in just two years. To stave off the plague which the Venetians felt was caused by the wrath of God, they began already in 1575 with the construction of the beautiful Chiesa del Redentore. At the consecration of this church and at later ceremonies, music by the best composers linked to St Mark’s, such as Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, was performed. Some of these works can be heard on the present recording. Furthermore, the American composer Robert Kyr was commissioned to contribute a new work intended to create a musical and emotional link between the plague in the 16th as well as the pandemic in the 21st centuries: Vigil: Darkness into light, is a bridge from our days to the music of the Renaissance.

This evocative music is presented by the outstanding singers and instrumentalists of the ensemble Concerto Palatino, including Hana Blažíková, Alex Potter and Veronika Skuplik, under the direction of Bruce Dickey.

Booklet: EN, FR, DE

Lyrics: LAT/EN/IT, EN

During the height of its popularity, from the mid-16th century into the 18th, the cornetto was frequently depicted in art as an instrument of angels. Paintings, sculptures, and engravings abound in which the cornetto takes a prominent place among choirs of angelic musicians, usually paired with at least one voice and with other instruments such as the organ, viol, lute, harp, violin and trombone.

For this project Bruce Dickey and Hana Blažíková take the image of angel musicians as a point of departure for an aural journey ranging from 1600 to the present day. From sacred monodies and motets of the early 1600s to opera arias from the end of the century, via a brief diversion to Erik Satie, we arrive at two specially commissioned contemporary works, all the while focussing on the angelic and radiant pairing of the cornetto with the human voice.

Booklet: EN, FR, DE

Lyrics: EN/LAT/IT/FR, EN

Concerto Palatino proposes a program centered on the ideas of Johannes Kepler and the music of his lifetime. Taking Tui sunt coeli by Orlando di Lasso as a point of departure the group explores other polyphonic and polychoral music of Lasso and his contemporaries (Andrea Gabrieli, Lambert de Sayve, Hans Leo Hassler, etc.). In addition, they commissioned a new work for the project by the renowned composer Calliope Tsoupaki. Her new piece is called ASTRON (to the stars) and is based on a Delphic Hymn.

For this project, Concerto Palatino was joined by a truly “star-studded” lineup of singers: Hana Blažíková and Barbora Kabátková, sopranos; Alex Potter, countertenor; Benedict Hymans and Jan van Elsacker, tenor; Tomáš Kral, baritone; and Jaromir Nosek, bass.

Booklet: EN, FR, DE

Lyrics: LAT, EN

Lyrics: EN

Giovanni Gabrieli, born circa 1554 in Venice, played a pivotal role in 16th-century Venetian music, excelling in secular, sacred, and instrumental compositions. He inherited his uncle Andrea Gabrieli’s musical legacy and influenced numerous Italian and European students.

In 1584, Giovanni temporarily served as the organist at St. Mark’s, later winning a permanent position there in 1585, alongside his uncle Andrea, and at the Scuola Grande di S. Rocco. He held these positions until his death on July 12, 1612.

Gabrieli’s innovative approach to music, exploring tonal harmony, dynamics, and expanded sound possibilities, attracted numerous students, including Heinrich Schütz, who studied with him in Venice from 1609 until Gabrieli’s death.

Booklet: EN, FR, DE, IT

Booklet: EN, FR, DE